of baltimore



April 5 O. P. LE COMPTE ET AL Filed Des. 4, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 mxmm bApril 5, 1927. 1,623,255 0. P. LE COMPTE ET AL.

4 Sheets-Shee 5 Filed Deo. 4, 1925 Abri] 5,1927. 1,623,255

0. P. LE COMPTE ET AL SAFE Filed Dec. 4, 1925 4 SheetsSheet 4 PatentedApr. 5, 1927.

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OLIVIER P. LE COMPTE, OIE

BALTIMOBE COUNTY, AND SAM A. CAHN, OIE BALTIMORE,

MARYLAND, ASSIGNORS T0 MILLER SAFE COMPANY, 011 BALTIMORE, MARYL.AND,

A CORPORATION on MARYLAND.

SAFE.

Application filed Decemher 4, 1925. Serial No. 73,105.

An important element in the storage of valuable but bulky mechandise asurs and the more expensive textile materials in safes, is the excess offioor space which is required for the operation of the prcsent type ofthe requirements.

The present invention relates to a sliding door Safe particularlyadapted to the storage of mechandise but capable of other applications.The construction Which is the subject of the invention not onlyovercomes the diificulties incident to swinging d0ors as above outlined,but provides a sliding door safe in Which the doors are closed, rigidlyfastened together and interlocked, and completely sealed to a minutedegree throughout the entire length of the meeting edges, and are alsosupported at the other three edges by seating in grooves in the saiewalls, so that no greater possibility of prying the doors presented inthe sliding door structure than in the present existing type of swingingdoors.

The construction described and claimed has the further advantage that itobtains an insurance ratrng higher than that which would be determinedby the thickness of the doors in the ordinary type of structure, becauseof a feature of the improved structure, whereby the doors are reinforcedas to all four edges, the arrangement of the reinf0rce being regarded asof importance.

In the accompanying drawing We have illustrated a sliding door Safestructure embodying the features of our invention in what is re arded asthe preferred form.

In the c rawings Figure 1 is a front elevation of the safe closed.

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the doors partly open,

Figure 3 is section on the l' ne 33, Figure 2, on a larger scale, thecentral portions of the structure being broken away for convenience ofillustration. 7

Figure 4 is an inside elevation looking at the meeting edges of thedoors and show-mg them fastened.

Figure 5 is 21 section on the line 55 01 Figure 4 showing the meetingedges of the doors closed and locked.

Figure 6 is a horizontal section on the line 6, 6 of Figure 1 shoWingthe lefthand front corner of the safe with the door closed.

Figure 7 is :1 section on the line 77 01 Figure 1 showing the righthandfront corner of the salie With the righthand door closed.

Figure 8 is a section on line 88 F igure 5.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, each of which is used to indicatethe same or similar parts in the diflerent figures, the safe structureindicated in a general way by reference charaoter 1, is built up in anysuitable manner. As shown, it is composed of an outside plate 2, anintermediate layer 01 insulating material or filling 3 and an insideplate 4 of comparatively thin sheet metal. The inside plate 4 isprotected as shown by lining 5 of wood. The corners of the sai'e arereinf0rced by vertical and horizontal angle irons 6, 7, and 8 at thesides, top and bottom.

The door opening 10 as shown is surrounded by a door trame composed ofangle irons 11 having a narrow Web 12 inserted between the walls 2, 3, 4and the reinforcing angles 6, 7, 8, and a wider web 14 which overliesthe edge portion of the side walls and the top and bottom walls adjacentthe opening. The door, groove or pocket 15 for the lefthand door 19 isformed between steel plates or bars 16 and 17 secured to the web 14 ofthe angle 11 Which forms the door frame overlying the outer and inneredges of the same on the fiat surface presented to- Ward the dooropening and spaced apart to form the groove or pocket 15. It Will benoted that in the construction shown the edge 18 of the corner angle 6overlies and eovers the outer edge of the bar 16 and tends to preventprying. The pocket or gmove 20 for the righthand door 26 in the form ofthe invention shown is formed between the projecting lip 21 of therighthand angle 6 and a steel strip or bar 22 secured to and overlyingthe Wide web 14 of the frame angle.

The top and bottom grooves 24 for the lefthand door 19 and the top andbottom grooves 25 for the righthand door 26 are continuons with the sidegrooves and poekets 15 and 20, respectively, the grooves being forn1edbetween theedges of the top corner angle 7 and the top guide bar 27, thebottom groom or pocket 25 being :t'ormed between the bottom angle 6 andthe. bottonr guide bar 28, the top groove 24 being formed between thetop inside guide bar 29 and the top guide bar 27, and the bottom grooveor pocket 24 being forined between the bottom guide bar 28 and thebottom inside guide bar 30.

The lefthand door 19 and the righthand door 26, the latter being on theoutside, as seen in Figure 3, are reinforced as to all four edgeportions. The letthand door reinforced as to each of its tour edges oreoge portions by angle irons 50 at the right side, 51 at the top, 52 etthe bottom, 53 at the left side, one such angle iron extending alongeaeh eclge having one web overlying the innerlace of the plate andsecurcd thereto, the other web projecting inwardly at right angles tothe door proper. The righthand door is reinforced by angles on threesides, i. (3., at the top 54: and the bottom 55, and the righthand side56, the lefthand side or edge which overlaps the other door in closedposition, having the plate 32 of Whieh the door is formed, turnedinwardly at the meeting edge in the form of a flange 33. The flange 33is in turn reiniorced by a hook plate 34 having a narroW edge flange 35extending along its inner vertical edge and projecting backwardly to theright, i. e., in the direction of motion of the door in closing. Therighthand edge of the lefthand door is provided with a similar hookplate 37 secured to the cdge of the door plate and to the inwardlyprojecti11g fia'nge 58 0:1 the angle 50 of the lefthand door. The hookplate 3? has a narroW flange or hook 38 on its outer edge turned to thelelt, i. e., in the direction of the door in closing.

The hooks or fianges 35 and 38 overlap as shown in Figure 5 when thedoor is closed, and both flangcs are pret'erably tapered, forminginelined surfaces, the contacting surfaces being shown in crosssectionin Figure 5 at 35. This gives a wedging action forcing the doorstogether when closed. The overlapping portion forins an interloclcxvhich prevents prying 01 the doors.

The lefthand door. as shmvn, is i'urther forrned with a raised edgeportion 40 to contact with the edge of the righthand door. This g ivesthe efi'cct of cuttin away or hollowing out the main surface of the doorand prevents riibbing of the righthand door on the painted outsidesurface'of the let'thand door wlin the doors are in Operation.

In the form of the invention show'n the raised surface 40 is formed byoffsetting the edge of the plate and the spaee at the baek of the plateformed by the offset is filled in any suitabley manner as by a metalstrip 41..

The reenforoing angles at the edges of the doors amplaced in definiterelation to the rest of the structure to serve the functions stated tothe best advantage. The angle at the righthand edge of the lelthanddooris placed as shown with the projecting leg 58 at the outer edge of thedoor to support the hook plate 37 and reenforce the meeting edges of thedoors. The angle 53 at the letthand edge of' the lefthand door where ite'nters the sent or groove 15 in the door frame, is placed with itsinwa'rdly projectihg leg 60 at right angles to the door spaced away fromthe edge of the door. The other leg 61 overlies the edge et the door at62, presenting a double thickness at the edge of the door to enter thepocket or roove 15. The angle 56 at the righthan edge of the righthanddoor is similarly placed, and reinforces this door whcre it enteis thepocket 20 in the same manner. The top angles 51 and 54 are sec-ured tothe top edges of the respective doors each with one leg 62 plaeed at thebottom projecting inwardly in a horizontal plane away from the top edgeof the door, so that the upright leg 63 of each angle Which is secnredto the door reintorces the upper edges of the door so that the top edgeof each door where it enters its respective pocket 24 and 25 is of adouble thickness inclnding the edge of the door plate and the edge etthe leg of the angle iron. The angles 52 and 53 at the bottom of eachdoor are similarly arrangcd, the inWatdly projecting legs 65 beingplaced uppermost, the other leg 66 of each angle serving to form withthe bottom edge of the door plate at 67 a double thickness of metalwhich enters and rides in the grooves or way 2 1, 25 at the bottom ofthe door opening.

Fron1 exunination of Figure 3 it will be noted that each door is mountedon ball bearing rollers 69 carried by studs 70, seate in the door, thestuds being thrcaded and the door plates and the respective angle irons52 and 55 being bored and tappcd. The horizontal or inwardly projcctingfizmges of the angle irons are slotted to admit the rollers, Which runon the res )ective guide plates 28 and 30 at the bottom inside therespective doors.

Reference l1as already been n1ade to the manner of securing the slidingdoors at their overlapping edges to prevent prying of the doors whenclosedl and lockcd. A closure referred to is efiected by theinterlocking of the flanges 35 and 38 of hoolc plates 34: ad 37 andpreferabl extends the entire length of the doors. The doors are furthersecured in cloSed position by a man- The tight 1 ualiy operabie latch orcheck which m ay in turn be controlled by any suitabie type of look. Thelatch or check mechanism pref erabiy secures the meeting edges 01 thedoors at short intervais throughout their entire length. The devicecomprises a pluraiity of verticaliy sliding bars 75 above and 76 belowthe centre of the doors. These bars are sometimes referred to asgooseneck bars, the said bars being mounted on the inside oi theoutside, in this instance the righthand door 26 near the forward oriefthand edge thereot, so that when the doors are closed, the slidingbars just clear or lie just to the right in Figure 5 of the plane of theextreme righthand or forward edge of the inside or leithand door, thesaid latter edge being, in the tornr shown, the righthand or forwardsurface of the hook bar or plate The interlock or the latching operationis eflected by a series of blocks 77 formed on or secured to therespective siiding bars or gnose-neck bars 75 and 76, the saine beingpiaced at short intervais throughout the entire length of the bais. Foreach of these blocks 77 there is a corresponding notch 78, see Figures 8and 5, in the flangcd edge et the plate 37 on the forWard or righthandedge of the inside or lefthand door, the notches 78 being slightly widerthan and extending siightiy to the rer 01' the block 77 to provide theneccssary working clearance. V

The sliding bars 75 and 76 are secured to the back of the door byU-shaped members or straps 79 riveted or otherwise rigidiy secured tothe door at their ends and en ciosing the bar, and permitting it tosiide as aforesaid. These straps are placed as to the straps enclosingthe bars 75 each Witi] it-s top edge 80 level with the bottom of thecorresponding s1ot 78, there being one of these straps for each blockand. there fore one strap for each notch. As to the bars 76, each strapis piaced with its hottom edge level with the top of the correspondingslot, the straps serving not only as a guide and support for therespective bars, but as a positioning means for the biocks 77 in thefree or releasing position of the iatch; in other words, the latching orchecking of the doors is accompiished by moving the bars 75 and 76 withthe blocks 77 thereby, out of registration with the notches 78 in thefianged edge of the hook bar 75 wherehy the blocks enter the path of theinside door in opening and hold both doors in closed position. The doorsare unlatched or unchecked and released by moving the biocks intocontact with the respective straps 79 by which they are positionedopposite or aiigned in the direction of traverse of the doors with thenotches 78, so that the doors aretree to open the blocks passing throughthe notches, these notches may be formed between any convenientprojections on the door. It will be apparent trom examination of Figure5 and the other figures, that the doors being in closed position areseated at three edges in the grooves or pockets in the Walls of thesafe, and the two meeting edges being interlocked as thereinillustrated, the doors may be thus 1ocked by moving the biocks 77 out ofregistration with the notches 78 in which position they act as apositive bar to the motion of either door in the direction of openingtending to overlap the doors, the doors being., fully opened in theextreme overlapping position in whichthey are in full registration.VVith the arrangement descrihed no other motion of the doors from closedposition is possible.

The doors and locking members are shown fragmentarily in Figure 8 inlocked position, and in Figure 4 on a smaii scale in side vievv inlocked position. The sliding bars or gnose-neck bars 7:), 76 may heactuated in any suitable manner as by handlc 82, Figures 1 and 2, whichcarries a shaft 01' pin 80 having a rotary bearing in the door andcarrying on its opposite end inside the safe a disk 83 Which rotateswith the handie. The disk is slotted as shown in Figure 4- at 84, theslots being as shown horizontal in the locked position of the door, butthis point is hardly material. The slots are ongaged hy pins 85 in theends of the sliding or gnose-neck bars, the lower bar 76 being offset sothat the pin carried thcreby may engage the outside siot, the offsetbeing the origin of the term goose-neck.

By rotating the handle 82, the sliding bars are moved, the lower one upand the upper one down trom the position shown in F igure 4 through ashort distance preferably equal to the vertical width of the s]ots 78which motion of: the bars is suflicient to iatch or check and uncheckthe doors.

The ]atch may he utilizcd as a hurgiarproof locking device by 50 piacingthe combination or other Iock 87 that the boit 88 engages a notch ortooth 89 on the disk, preventing rotation of the disk t-o unlatchedposition.

The operation of the safe and the adrantages of the constructiondescribed have been discussed in the preamble and description. Brieflysome of the more prominent advantages consist in the interlocking of thedoors at their 0verlapping edges in closed position throughout theirentire length and the wedging action whereby the doors are forcedtogether at the overlapping edges when closed so that there is no chanceto insert a pry. The checking or latching a1- rangement whereby a seriesof blocks securd to one door are moved into and out of the path whichthe other door must traverse in moving it into open position, the blocksbeing arranged or spaced along the entire le1rgth of the. overlappingedges has great advantages in the way of security and 3150 as arrangedin the way of convenience and case of operation.

The reinforcing of the corners of the doors of the safe with hard angleirons, one lg of each angle at the front of the safo projecting over thedoor opening so that it in a wa interlocks with the door has greatadvantages in the way of protection against pri'ng at the edges of thedoor, and the security thus attained is enhanced by the door fraineconstruction of heavy angles, on leg of each angle being fastened to thecorresponding corner angle, and the reinfo1cing of the doors at theedges by means of angles, one leg of each angle overlying the insidesurface of the edge portion of the door, so that the -leg of the angleas well as the edge of the door plate enters the groov'e or pocket inthe. frame gives a rigidity and security of construction corrsponding tothat of a structure of plate of rhuch greater weight than that embodiedin the doors. The possibility of making the doors comparatively lightthus achieved gives increased case of operation of the doorsas coniparedto the security and rigidity of the structure and reduction of cost.

We have thus described specifically and in detail a single en1bodimentof our invention in order that the nature and operation of the same maybe clearly nnderstood; however, the specific -terms herein are useddseriptively rather than in a limiting sense, the scope of the inventionbeing defined in the claims.

VVhat We claim and desire to secure by Letters Patentis:

1. A safe having inside and outside overlapping sliding d0ors, the safewalls and the doors having an interlocking connection on three edges ofeach door in the closed position of the latter, the fourth edges of thetwo respective doors being overlapped in sajid cloised position, andeach door having at the ox erlap'pingi edge a portion projecting in thedirection of cl0sing, the projecting portions being interlocked insidethe SLfQ in the-closed position of the doors both doors haing integralouter surface portions and the outer door having a flange integraltherewith, Which flange covers and encloses the interlocking projectionsand closely contacts the inner door in the closed position of the doors.

2. A safe havihg inside and outside overlapping sliding doors, the Stif6walls and the doors having an interlocking connection on three edges ofeach door in the closed position, the fouith edges of the two doorshein-g overlapped in the clos6d position of the doors, and each doorhaving at the overlajpping dge a portion projecting in the direction ofclosing, the said projecting por tions being interlocked in the closedposition of the doors, the inside door having a raised portion on theoutside surface of the overlapping edge portion covered by the outsidedoor in closed position, the raised portion serving as a bearing fortheouter door to prevent contact et the outer door with the main outersurface of the inside door.

3. A safe having inside and outside overlapping sliding doors, the safewalls and doors having means forming in closed position an interlockingrelation between the safe walls and doors throughout three edges of eachdoor, the doors overlapping with each other at the fourth edge, and eachdoor having extending along the entire -length of the overlapping edge aprojecting portion extending backwards {in the direction of closing, thesaid portions being overlapped inside the safe and in close contact inthe said closed position. V

4. Asafe having outside and inside sliding doors, the safe and doorshaving meanS forming an interlocking relation between the safe walls anddoors throughout three edges of each door, and the doors being incontact with each other at the fourth edge in closed position, each doorhaving along sub9tantially the entire length of the contacting edgesportions extending backwards in the direction of closing, said portionsbeing interlocked and in close contact in the said closed position, theinterlocking portions having inclined contacting edges by which theoverlapping edges cf the door are forced together in closed position,producing a tight closure Which is eflective against prying.

5. In a safe, inside and outside sliding doors, the doors havingcorresponding edges in contact in closed position and having at theiroverlapping edgcs interlocking portions, the interlocking portions oneach door projecting back in the direction of closing, the projcctingportion on the inside door having a series of slots spaced along itslength, and a sliding bar secured to the outside door to slide parallelto the overlapping edges, the sliding bar having blocks mounted thereonspaced and shaped to fit the notches in the edpre of the inside door.

6. In a salie, oveflapping slidiflg -doors, the doors havingcorresponding edges contacting in closed position, the inside doorliaving at its contacting edge a projecting portion with a series ofslots therein Spaced along its length and a sliding member mounted inthe inside of the outside door to slide parallel to the overlappingedges, the sliding member having blocks mounted thereon spaoed andshaped to fit the riotches in the inside door.

7. In a safe, overlappin slidihg doors, the doors having corresPonixgedg"es 'c6n tacting in closed position, the inside door having at itscontacting edge a projecting portion With a serics of siots thereinspaced a]ong its length and a sliding member mounted in the inside ofthe outside door to slide parailel to the overlapping edges, the slidingme1nbor having blocks 1nounted thereon spaced and shaped to fit thenotches in the inside door, a series of cross-bars sup porting the saidsliding member in sliding relationwith the inside door, the crossbarsbeing Spaoed to position the blocks opposite the notches in the edge ofthe out side door.

8. In a safe, inside and outside sliding doors, each door having oneedge overlapped with the corresponding edge of the other door in closedposition, the inside door hav ing the overlapping edge projectinginwardiy, a flanged baioverlying the edge of the door at right angles tothe plane of the door having its flange spaced outwardly and projectingbackward in the direction of closing, the outside door having an edgeportion turned inwardly at right angles, and having a flanged barsecured to the in side of the intnrned portion with its flangeprojecting backward in the direction of. closing and in closed positionof the doors interlocking with the flange on the inside door.

9. In a safe, inside and outside sliding doors, one edge of each doorbeing in contact With the other door in closed position, the inside doorhaving a portion projecting ontwardly and extending along its edge, theoutside door having 1neans n1onnted thereon to move in a directionparailel to the contacting edges, the outwardly pr0 jecting portion ofthe inside door having spaced notches along its entire length, and themoving means having biocks shaped to pass through the notches and spacedto correspond to the notoires. the blocks ex* tending inwardly beyondthe projecting portion of the inside door.

10. In a saf'e, inside and 'outside sliding doors, one edge of each doorbeing overiapped with the other door in closed position, the outsidedoor having a siiding bar mounted thereon to slide in the direction ofits length parailel to the overlapping edges, the inside door havingspaced apertnres along its entire Iength and the sliding bar havingbiocks shaped to pass through the apertures and spaced t0 correspond tothe notoires, the biocks extending inwardly beyond the edge of theinside door, and means for positioning the bar with the blocks oppositethe notches.

11. A safe having iriside and outside s1iding doors, an edge of eachdoor oontacting with the corresponding edge of the other door in closedposition of the doors, means mounted on the outside door to move paral-1e1 to the overlapping edges the moving means having projections spacedin the direction or" the iength of the edge of the door snbstantiallythe entire length of the door, the inside door having correspondingportions projecting ontwardly into the Paths of said biocks over whichthey wouid move in opening the door in one position of the movingnue-ans, the projebting portions on the inside door being spaced apartto pernit the blocks to pass without contacting in the other position ofthe sliding means.

12. A safe having a plurality of over lapping siiding doors, a dooropening in WhiCh the doors are mounted, angle irons reinforcing the safeat the corners, one leg of each angle iron projecting over the dooropening so that in closed position the three edges of each door arecoVered by the edges of the angle irons.

13. A safe having a plurality of overlapping siiding doors, a dooropening in which the doors are mounted, angle irons reinforcing the safeat the corners, one leg of one angle iron projecting over the dooropening so that in closed position an edge of one door is covered by theedge of the angle iron.

14.. A. sate having a plnraiity of over lapping sliding doors and a dooropening grooved to admit the edges of the doors, angle irons secnred toand reiniorcing the Edges of the doors, the angle irons at the odgeportions of the doors WhiCh enter the grooves each having one legoverlying the edge of: the door so that it forms a portion of the edgeof the door which enters the groove, the other ieg being spaced inwardlyfrom the edge of the door and projecting backwardly into the safe.

15. A safe having overiapping sliding doors and a door opening Withgrooves in WhiCh the doors are mounted t0 slide, angles reinforcing thesafe at the corners and having the edges of their legs projecting overthe edges of the doors, angles reinforcing the edges of the doors andprojecting into the groove in which the doors ride.

16. A safe having a door opening With grooves, a plurality of slidingdoors mounted to siide in the grooves, the grooves being parailel sothat the doors overlap, angle irons reinforcing the corners of the safeand projecting over the door opening so that they overlie the edges ofthe doors and reinforcing members secured to the edge portions of thedoors on the inside and projecting into the grooves, the edges of thedoors overlapping in closed position and having interlocking means.

17. A safe having a door opening, 21, door trame formed of angle ironshaving one 1eg parailei to the door opening and one ]eg parailel to thefront of the safe in Which the door opening is formed, angle ironscovering the corners of the safe and projecting slightly over the dooropening and secured to the. frame angles, bars secured to the door frameforming a pluralty of door grooveS therein, doors sliding in saidgrooves and having reinforcing members secured to their edge portionsalong the inside surface thereof and entering the grooves.

18. A safe having a door opening, 21 door fmme formed of angle ironshaving one leg parallel to the door opening and one leg parallel to thefront of the safe in which the door opening is formed, angle ironscovering the corners of the safe and projecting slightly over the dooroponing and secured to the frame angles, bars secured b0 the door frameforming a plurality of door grooves therein, doors sliding in saidgrooves andhaving reinforcing angle irons secu1ed to their edge portionsalong the inside surface theroof and entering the groovos.

Signed by us at Baltimore, Maryland, this 24th day of November, 1925.

OLIVER P. LE COMPTE. SAM A. CAHN.

